Aguilar tells Marites Vitug, editor at large of Rappler, that the poor have nuanced views on vote-buying and grapple with moral reasons when they accept money from candidates.

The respondents of their study view vote-buying in 5 ways: as blessing, as something that is rightfully theirs, as an economic transaction, as easy money, and as “dead money” or something that has dark sources.

"Bobotante," after all, may be a term that cuts through economic classes.